Game apparatus.



P. WERNIGKE. GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATIOIN FILED 1.11;. a, 1911.

999,073, Patented July 25, 1911 Z SKEBTB-SHEET 1- COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C0,. VIASHING'IBN. D. l-

- P. WERNIGKE. GAME APPARATUS.

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COLUMBIA WRAP" 50', WASHINGTON. D. C-

UNITED snares Parana anion.

PAUL WERNICKE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL WERNIOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved game apparatus and has for its principal object to provide a game-board of a construction similar to switch-boards, together with means for forming circuits between the different points on the said boards.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the class described which will necessitate considerable study in the playing thereof and therefore the same will be instructive as well as amusing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plug of novel construction and adapted to frictionally engage a cord at various points along its length.

WVith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved game-board showing a plurality of connections made thereon, the connections being shown diagrammatically, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the game-board, showing the sections in closed relation, Fig. 4: is a view showing two plugs and a flexible connection, and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the plug.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing my invention comprises a game-board consisting of two sections 5 and 6 respectively. These sec tions are provided with marginal flanges Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 5, 1911.

Patented July 25, 1911.

Serial No. 600,890.

5 and 6 respectively and are connected together by a hinge 7 the said flanges coacting to form a receptacle 8 adapted for a purpose hereinafter described. Each of these sections is preferably formed rectangular in contour, and the outer faces 9 and 10 of each section are divided into a plurality of squares 11 by means of lines 12 which are formed by scoring, printing, or the like. These squares are arranged to form a plurality of columns and cross-rows. Each top is-divided into a perforated portion and a solid portion, the former having a rectangular area having six squares on each side, and each square thereof is provided with an opening 13. It will therefore be observed that there is a rectangular portion of each top having thirty-six openings. It will furthermore be observed that these openings 13 are arranged in columns and crossrows consisting of six openings in each. Located on the solid portion of each board adjacent a receptive cross-row of openings, is the name of a city or the like which is designated by the numeral 14. On the board 5 the cities designated are Washington, Chicago, Cleveland, San Francisco, Providence and Minneapolie, and on the board 6 Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Boston, and New York. Located on the solid portion of each board and respectively contiguous to the columns of openings are suitable names each designated by numeral 15. The names on board 5 consist of Real estate ofiice, Post-ofiice, Union depot,

Armory, Central hotel, and Detective bureau and on board 6 City hall, Court house, Railroad office, Police station, Bank, and Fire department. The names of the above mentioned cities together with the various names of oflices may be changed as may be desired.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the opening 16 in board 5 is in the Chicago cross-row and in the Union depot column. Thus it will be seen that the opening 16 designates the Union depot of Chicago. As a further illustration the opening 17 on board 6 designates the Cincinnati court-house, and the opening 18 designates the Denver police station.

In order to play the game I have provided a novel construction of connectors, there being thirty-six connectors employed. Each connector comprises plugs 19-19 which may be formed of any suitable material and of any shape. Each plug is provided at its lower end with a reduced portion 20 which is adapted to be seated within any opening 13 on either board, as will be hereinafter explained. Formed in the top of the plug is a vertical opening 21 which communicates with a radially projecting opening 22 thereby forming a shoulder 23. A flexible cord 24 is connected to the plugs, the ends of the cord being disposed within the passage of the plug formed by the openings 21 and 22. This cord is of a length equal to the distance of two openings 13 farthest apart. It will be observed in this connection that the ends of the cord can be drawn through the respective plugs and thereby shorten the distance between the same, and in this connection the shoulder 23 serves to frictionally engage the cord and thereby hold the same normally taut.

In playing the game two. or more players may take part, and therefore the connectors and plugs are preferably divided into sets of six. The manner of playing the game is as follows: The players make connections in turn between an opening of one section and an opening of the other section. These connections are made until the last one is made and the player who makes the last connection loses the game. In making these connections it is necessary to observe the following rules, by means of which the game is caused to be both instructive and amusing. Rule 1. Two cities cannot be connected a second time. Rule 2. Two offices cannot be connected a second time. For instance if a' connection is made between Cincinnati police station and Cleveland post-oflice all lines from Cincinnati to Cleveland are con sidered busy and cannot be connected again. By that I mean that none of the openings in the cross-row designated by Cincinnati can be connected to the crossrow designated by Cleveland but once. Simultaneously with this connection all other connections between the openings of the column designated Police station of one board and the openings of the column designating Post-oflice of the other board are also considered busy. A connection can be made, however, between the Cincin nati bank and the San Francisco real estate office or between the Cleveland union depot and the Baltimore fire de partment From the foregoing it will be observed that before a connection is made the player will necessarily have to find out what lines are busy and what lines are not busy before he can make a live connection. After making a connection the player should draw the cord taut in order that the said connections may be easily observed.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a game apparatus, the combination with a board comprising two sections, each section having a plurality of openings formed therein and arranged in series of columns and cross-rows, and connectors for connecting certain of the openings of one 'section with certain of the openings of the other sections.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination with a board comprising two sections, each section having a plurality of openings formed therein and arranged in series of columns and cross-rows, city designations respectively associated with each cross-row of each section, other designations associated with each column of each section, and connectors for connecting certain of the openings of one section with certain of the openings of the other sections.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination with a board comprising two sections, each section having a plurality of openings formed therein and arranged in series of columns and cross-rows, and connectors for connecting certain of the openings of one section with certain of the openings of the other sections, said connectors comprising separate plugs and a flexible connection between said plugs.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination with a board comprising two sections, each section having a plurality of openings formed therein and arranged in series of columns and cross-rows, and connectors for connecting certain of the openings of one section with certain of the openings of the other sections, said connectors comprising separate plugs and a flexible connection adj ustably connecting said plugs.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination with a board comprising two sections, each section having a plurality of openings formed therein and arranged in series of columns and cross-rows, and connectors for connecting certain of the openings of one section with certain of the openings of the other sections, said connectors comprising separate plugs, each plug having a vertical opening and a communicating radial opening, and a cord having its ends respectively disposed within the said openings of the plugs.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL VVERNICKE.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH SMITH, PEARL BRoKAw.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

